One-time NU commit Sina picks Seton Hall

Although he's spent 17 years at Duke as a player and assistant coach, Chris Collins says he's back home at Northwestern.

Although he's spent 17 years at Duke as a player and assistant coach, Chris Collins says he's back home at Northwestern.

Teddy GreensteinTribune reporter

Where Fred Hill goes, Jaren Sina follows.

Sina originally committed to Northwestern, where Hill was an assistant under Bill Carmody. On the same day Seton Hall announced that Hill would join head coach Kevin Willard’s staff, the 6-foot-1 combo guard committed to his homestate school.

Sina broke the news on Twitter, writing: “I'm a Pirate!!!!!! Ready to play for my state!!!!! #SetonHallPirates.”

He later texted to the Tribune: “Just felt SHU was best for me.”

New NU coach Chris Collins visited Sina in New Jersey on Sunday. The session went well, and Sina’s shooting and ballhandling skills would have been a nice addition for the Wildcats.

But Seton Hall is where father Mergin Sina played before transferring to Rhode Island, and this decision allows Sina’s family to attend his home games.

Mergin texted to the Tribune: “Collins was great! Just not enough time (to build a relationship).”

The Pirates also were desperate for Sina's services, having lost Aaron Cosby to Illinois as a transfer. Plus, Hill’s presence obviously helped; as head coach at Rutgers, he was first to offer Sina a scholarship.

Northwestern now has only one incoming freshman, top-notch shooter Nate Taphorn, from Pekin.

Collins retains the scholarship and can zero in on a guard for the class of 2014. He also can offer it to a graduate student, as Northwestern did a year ago to secure the services of Jared Swopshire.

Key for Collins now is to keep Drew Crawford in Evanston. As a graduate student, Crawford is the equivalent of a free agent. Without him, Northwestern would have almost no chance to make the NCAA tournament.